September 2012 Page 9
www.thesoutherncross.org.au
The
Southern Cross
Christians engaged in ecumenism can
sometimes feel like hamsters running round
and round their exercise wheels getting
nowhere.
But according to British Catholic
theologian, Professor Paul Murray, of
Durham University, ecumenism should not
be seen as some burdensome responsibility
on the churches. It’s a real resource for
them.
“It helps them be more fully, fluently, freely
what they’re each called to be,” he said.
Professor Murray recently ran a series of
workshops in Port Pirie and Adelaide as
part of an Australian visit initiated by the SA
Council of Churches.
Professor Murray is known as “the father
of Receptive Ecumenism” – a movement
largely inspired by Ut Unum Sint, Pope
John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical letter on
commitment to ecumenism.
He is also a Catholic member of the
Anglican-Roman Catholic International
Commission (ARCIC III). “There’s a famous
quotation from John F Kennedy: ‘Ask not
what your country can do for you; ask what
you can do for your country’,” Professor
Murray said.
“In a nutshell, Receptive Ecumenism
represents a move from asking, ‘What do
they need to learn from us?’ to ‘What can
we learn with integrity from our ecumenical
others?’”
He said that if we all asked this question
seriously and acted on it, we would all
deepen our authentic identities and be
drawn into more intimate relationships.
Professor Murray said that when institutions
and organisations address difficulties or
challenges only with what they already
know themselves, they can be like
hamsters running round their wheels.
“The same conversations repeat
themselves, the same logic reinforces
itself,” he said.
“Asking that receptive question expands
the imagination. It brings in fresh
perspectives and fresh possibilities that
enable the problem to be addressed in a
fresh way.”
He stressed that this must be done with
integrity.
“Catholics can learn from the Uniting
Church, the Orthodox, from Baptists, from
Anglicans,” he said.
Some Catholics might wonder if that is
asking us to be less properly Catholic.
“When I say ‘with integrity’ I don’t mean
being less Catholic,” he said. “It’s about
being more fully, more richly Catholic.
“Personal integrity isn’t about staying
static. It isn’t about being exactly the same
person in the same way in all situations.
It’s about being basically, fundamentally the
same person but, by adapting in different
ways, in different situations, growing and
expanding.
“Personal integrity has something dynamic
about it.
“It’s the same when we talk about the
integrity of Catholicism.
“Pope John XXIII said we’re not here on
earth to be keepers of a museum but to be
gardeners and help something beautiful to
grow.
“When a flower grows it grows more fully,
not into something less.”
Deacon Nick Kerr last month finished his
term as executive officer of the Diocesan
Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission.
Ecumenism deepens our identity
By Nick Kerr
A former seminarian, the son of a boat
refugee and a cancer survivor are leading
an Adelaide all-boys school in lessons on
how to be graceful.
The trio from Blackfriars Priory School, in
Prospect, are ambassadors for the Year of
Grace.
Assistant Principal Religious Identity and
Mission (APRIM) David Ruggiero and
students An Cao and Patrick Mueller
share just shy of 70 years of collective
life experiences. But they are already
reshaping the life of their school, family
and friends in the past few months of their
year-long ambassadorial role.
The school is planning to introduce
meditation every day in the morning after
home group as part of the Year of Grace
program for its 900 students. Mass during
Friday lunch breaks will also be offered
in addition to the current 8am Mass held
everyday in the school chapel.
Mr Ruggiero says meditation allows staff
and students to slow down, reflect and
experience grace in the ordinariness of
everyday life.
“We sometimes need the structures of
Mass, prayer, the Eucharist and meditation
to slow us down and remove the chaos
within our minds and make us aware of
God’s grace within us and in everyday
moments.”
Sixteen-year-old Patrick says reflecting
on the good in life is an important part of
receiving God’s grace.
“The Year of Grace is about being thankful
for what we have and to think about
others who are not as fortunate,” he says.
At age five, Patrick was diagnosed with a
kidney cancer affecting only children. He
had one kidney removed and was given
the all clear about four years ago. He says
he’s lucky to be alive and counts each day
as a moment of grace.
Year 11 student An says his father’s
perilous journey to Australia from war-torn
Vietnam was a great source of inspiration
for him in this reflective Year of Grace.
“The moment of grace for my dad was
being able to survive the journey.”
An says his father’s sacrifice has gifted
him a privileged life. “Everyday I feel
thankful.”
Mr Ruggiero, 37, says he found his
greatest moment of grace just this year
upon returning to Blackfriars Priory School
as APRIM. He was schooled at Blackfriars
and from the Dominican Order of priests
discerned as a young boy his desire to
enter the seminary. His vision was to
return to the school and teach as a priest.
After three years of seminary life,
Mr Ruggiero returned to lay ministry and a
teaching career spanning 15 years across
several Adelaide Catholic schools.
“I have a sense that while a priestly life
didn’t work out for me and even though I
wasn’t coming back as a priest, my return
to Blackfriars’ is still part of God’s plan,”
says Mr Ruggiero. “Since I have been
back, it’s been filled with moments of
grace,” he says.
The trio was selected by the school as
ambassador nominees for the Year of
Grace.
Visit www.yearofgrace.catholic.org.au
for more information on Year of Grace.
PRAY, REFLECT, GIVE THANKS: (L-R) Blackfriars Priory School student Patrick Mueller, APRIM David Ruggiero and student An
Cao in the Prospect school’s chapel have been chosen as ambassadors of Grace.
Blackfriars’ blessed with grace
In this Year of Grace, The
Southern Cross will feature the
stories of some of Adelaide’s 114
Year of Grace Ambassadors.
This month, David Ruggiero, An
Cao and Patrick Mueller from
Blackfriars Priory School share
their meaning of grace with
REBECCA DIGIROLAMO.
news |
Photo: Ben Macmahon